University of Delaware Athletics
Giacchino?s Five Hits Leads Delaware Baseball to a 10-3 Victory Over Northeastern on Senior Day
5/19/2012 2:57:00 PM | Baseball
NEWARK, Del. – Joe Giacchino's five hit, four RBI day led Delaware baseball to a 10-3 victory over Northeastern on Senior Day in the second game of the Colonial Athletic Association's weekend series, Saturday afternoon at Bob Hannah Stadium.
Prior to today's contest, there was be a pre-game ceremony honoring the University of Delaware's baseball 2012 senior class of Dave Angebranndt, Corey Crispell, Ian Hoff, Devon Pearson, Nick Stampone and Eric Young.
With the victory, Delaware (27-24, 17-12) secured the No. 3 seed in the upcoming CAA Baseball Tournament next week in Harrisonburg, Va. and earned their seventh win in the month of May.
Giacchino's five hits and four runs batted in led the offensive attack for the Blue Hens, who ratcheted 16 hits on the day. Chris Branigan, Alex Maruri, Tyler Powell and Ty Warrington each tallied two hits apiece in Saturday's victory. Branigan also smashed his first home run of the year, a solo shot in the fourth inning.
Delaware's Chad Kuhl (5-4) earned the victory in a rare relief appearance. The righty tossed 3.2 innings and held the Huskies to one earned run on four hits, one walk and three strikeouts. While Young, a senior, received a no-decision in his final start on the UD campus after the right-hander was charged with two earned runs on two hits, two walks and three strikeouts in three innings on the mound.
Northeastern (22-28, 12-17 CAA) had seven different batters collect a hit in the loss. Reigning CAA Player of the Week, Jon Leroux also hit his 12th home run of the season in the fifth inning.
Hukies starter Kevin Ferguson (6-4) suffered the loss as the left-hander lasted only 2.2 innings on the mound after the Blue Hens scored six runs on seven hits and two walks.
In the bottom of the second inning, Powell reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a balk called on Ferguson. After EJ Stoltzfus drew a walk, Giacchino lined a RBI single to right field the drove in Powell as Stotzfus reached third base. Brock Niggebrugge lifted a sacrifice fly to center field that was deep enough for Stoltzfus to score and gave the Blue Hens an early 2-0 lead.
Delaware's advantage grew to 6-0 in the bottom of the third inning after Jimmy Yezzo started the frame with an infield sinlge. Back-to-back singles by Maruri and Powell scored Yezzo for Stoltzfus, who reached after being hit by a pitch. With the bases loaded, Giacchino collected a two-run single through the right side that scored Maruri and Powell. Warrington drew a walk that reloaded the bases and a wild pitch uncorked by Northeastern reliever Sam Berg allowed Stoltzfus to score the frame's fourth run.
The Huskies made it a 6-2 ballgame in the top of the fourth inning after Leroux was hit by a pitch in addition to Jason Vosler and Rob Fonseca drew walks and loaded the bases. With the sacks packed, Oliver Hard hit a two-run double to the left-center field gap.
Branigan's first home run of the season, a leadoff solo shot down the right field line handed the Blue Hens a 7-2 advantage in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Leroux hammered his 12th home run of the season, a one-run blast over the left-center field wall with two outs in the top of the fifth inning as the Huskies narrowed the gap to 7-3.
Giacchino led the bottom of the fifth inning with a perfectly executed bunt single down the third-base line for an infield single. Niggebrugge followed with a sacrifice bunt that moved Giacchino to second base. Warrington's infield single moved Giacchino to third base for DJ Long, who knocked home Giacchino on a fielder's choice as UD took an 8-3 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Maruri reached on a leadoff hit by pitch. After Maruri reached second on a wild pitch he was replaced by pinch runner, Ryan Hartley. With two outs, Giacchin' tallied his third RBI hit of the day, with a run-scoring single to center field that plated Hartley and extended Delaware's lead to six.
Pinch Hitter Alex Mottle connected with a double down the left field line with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning. Stoltzfus completed the UD offensive attack with a two-out, RBI single to shallow right field that scored Mottle from second base.
In the final home game of the 2012 season, the Blue Hens look for the CAA series victory over the Huskies. Delaware hands the ball to sophomore Dan Gatto (4-2, 4.61) while Northeastern counters with freshman right-hander Nick Berger (4-4, 5.14) in the CAA weekend series finale, Sunday, May 20, with first pitch set for 1 p.m. at Bob Hannah Stadium.
